Rail-clamp.



No. 738,179. PATENTBD SEPT. 8, 190. B. GERRARD.

RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 19 0,3'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

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N0 MODEL.

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PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD GERRARD, on

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RAIL-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,179, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed April 13, 1903- Serial No. 152,400. (No model.)

T (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD GERRARD, a citizen of the United States,residing atIndianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an easily-manufactured clamp by means of which rails may be held in position upon the cross-ties, the particular object of invention being to facilitate the construction of drykilns in which the cross-ties are formed of standard rails; and a further object of my invention is to produce a clamp-section of such form that a single pattern may be used for casting large numbers, any one of which will be complementary to any other, so that any two may be used to form a clamp and so that the two sections may be clamped upon a crosstie and upon the rail to be held by standard bolts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my clamp in operative position. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a clamp-section. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of a dry-kiln in which my invention is used, and Fig. 5 is a plan thereof.

In the drawings, indicates a cross-tie formed, preferably, of standard rail, and 11 indicates a rail upon which a car is to run. The clamp consists of two identical pieces, each of which is of a form shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each clamp-section consists of amain body 12, provided upon one face with a transverse notch or groove 13, adapted to receive the head of the cross-tie rail and having at its lower end athinned portion 14, adapted to lie alongside the web of the cross-tie rail. The lower end 15 of the thinned portion 14 is beveled in order to properly contact with the flange of the cross-tie rail. One half of the upper end of body 12 is beveled at 16 in order to complement the overhanging portion 17 of an extension 18, carried by the main body12 and projecting upward from the other half of the upper end thereof.

The top face 19 of the extension 18 is adapted to receive one-half of the base-flange of the rail 11, and springing from the outside edge of extension 18 is a lip 20, which overhangs face 19, thus forming a groove 21, within which one edge of the base-flange 11 may lie. The extension 18 is perforated at right angles to lip 20 by a bolt-hole 22 above face 16, and similarly body 12 is perforated by a bolt-hole 23 above groove 13 and at right angles to bolt-hole 22. The bolt-holes 22 are preferably elliptical in order to allow for the tively.

It will be readily understood that the particular form of notches 13 and 21 and the other portions contacting with the parts to be clamped one upon the other will vary according to the conformation of said parts.

In operation the cross-ties 10 are laid in position and two exactly similar clamp-sections are placed together in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and the bolts 24 and 25 serve to hold the parts in position. By loosening the bolt 25 the clamp may be shifted longitudinally on the cross-tie 10 without disturbing the connection with rail 11, and similarly by loosening bolt 24 rail 11 may be shifted longitudinally within the clamp without shifting the adjustment of the clamp upon the cross-tie.

The parts of the clamp may be very readily cast, and it will be seen that no care need be used in selecting cooperating parts and that commercial bolts may be used to hold the parts together.

I claim as my invention- 1. A rail-clamp consisting of a pair of identical members, provided with surfaces between which the cross-tie may be clamped and other surfaces between which the rail may be clamped.

2. A rail-clamp memberconsisting of a main body 12 adapted to engage a rail upon one face, and an extension 18 overhangingaportion of said rail-engaging face and provided with a face capable of engaging another rail, substantially as described.

1 3. A rail-clamp consisting of aplurality of easy entrance of the bolts 24 and 25, respecidentical ovei-lapping members hai iizig', sur- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my faces between which a pair of superimposed hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this to rails may be clamped. 11th day of April, A. D. 1903.

4. A rail-clamp consisting of a pair of over- ARD GERRARD [L S 1 lapping members each having two clampingsurfaces, between one pair of which a tie may \Vitnesses:

be clamped, and between the other pair of ARTHUR M. H001), which a rail may be clamped. JAMES A. \VALSH. 

